Sadio Mane’s injury setback is a concern for Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool star Sadio Mane aggravated his hamstring injury from earlier in the season while on international duty with Senegal.

Sadio Mane has had a rather tumultuous start to the 2017-18 campaign. Between his suspension after kicking Ederson in the face and his hamstring injury, Mane has missed quite a bit of time. With being off the pitch so much, it’s hard to develop rhythm or consistency. Mane has only played in six matches for Liverpool so far this season, notching three goals and two assists.

Unfortunately, as Sky Sports reports, Jurgen Klopp and the Liverpool staff will need to watch closely over Mane in the coming days. A nagging hamstring injury is really only something that can heal with time. However, if Liverpool want any chance at a title or even a top four finish this season, they can’t afford to lose Mane for an extended period of time.

International service is something that Mane finds very important, and Klopp and Liverpool realize that. Klopp mentioned how he respects how vital Mane is to his country and the role he played in their recent qualification for the World Cup. Unfortunately, international service sometimes comes with some at a cost to clubs. Take Chelsea’s Eden Hazard, for example, who broke his ankle with Belgium early last summer.

Mane’s injury, should it be anything more than just an annoyance, will be a big concern for Klopp. Liverpool rely on their extravagant attack with Mane, Mohamed Salah and Philippe Coutinho. Mane’s pace and finesse is an absolute game breaker and with him on the pitch, Liverpool are a different side.

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Hopefully, it’s just something that some stretching and a few days off can fix. Ahead of their game against Southampton this weekend, it’s unclear whether Mane will be able to suit up for the Reds.